Questionable Prize Standards?

Also here is the link so no one thinks that I changed any of the wording or anything.

http://www.kenlongassoc.com/events/dorun09.html

you forgot this:

If you do not finish within the times stated to qualify for Beat The Clock, but are still in the top 3 finishers, you will receive a Gift Certificate, as valued below:

Male & Female Gift Certificate

1st Place $150.00

2nd Place $100.00

3rd Place $75.00

say #1 goes sub 46:50 if I finish 2nd in 46;52 I get squat(only one cash prize awarded rule) but if I wait until 47:31 and finish 2nd I get a $100 coupon?

RDs total prize money liability is limited to $1000 and including coupons $1350. That assumes RD pays face price but 99% of the time the coupons are just duebills and RD got >1000 bucks from sponsor for the right to advertise giving them away.

Indianapolis Resident wrote:

* US Citizen, with fluent speaking and understanding of the English language.

Ken actually published that?

My first reaction is that a RD has the right to offer whatever prize structure he/she wants.

The fluency in English is an odd requirement, I will admit. How does one determine that (easily anyway)? Do all the runners have to pass a test beforehand? Heck, how many native born Americans would fail a test in English fluency?

Have you written the RD to ask about the requirements?

I suspect that there is no legal issue (I cannot imagine a race director or the sponsor not looking into that).

Indianapolis Resident wrote:

Beat the Clock - 15K Only

Must beat the clock to win cash awards.

Policies

* US Citizen, with fluent speaking and understanding of the English language.

* Only one cash award per top three places if times are met.

* Checks will be mailed within two weeks of the event.

* In case of disputes of finish times and / or finish place, the decision will be determined by the KLA Finish Line Judges - NO EXCEPTIONS.

They set up these rules because all these out-of-state Africans showed up last weekend and thought if they "Beat the clock", they were guaranteed money. What they didn't understand is that you had to finish top 3 to get the money. Fortunately there were some American white dudes who showed up and handed it to the Africans. The Moroccan who finished 4th (and spoke little to no English) got into a hissy with the RD cause he claimed he ran faster than he did AND was entitled to money. Sorry buddy, had to finish top 3.

Sounds like they're trying to keep the prize money local and it only goes to the winner if they beat the clock (?).

So would deaf or mute runners be SOL in this race?

Regardless of any "hissy" fits that might have or might not have been made regarding prize money, I don't think that justifies flat out racism. There is no official language in the United States, therefore why would it matter what language someone speaks? I have friends who are U.S. citizens that have grown up in a Spanish speaking household. If they run the times will he not give them the money? If Ken put a stipulation on prize money for everyone that has pissed him off then no one would be eligible! You would think that after losing race after race because he can't control his temper he would learn that the problem is him and not the rest of the world. No one seems to get pissed off when White American runners go over to England to win money in Track Meets in the summer, but they will jump down an Africans throat for winning some prize money over here! Here is a solution Ken, just don't give out prize money if you have a problem with Africans winning. That is a better solution then being a grumpy old bigot!

I think Ken should worry less about whether or not someone speaks English and worry more about making his courses accurate!

Maybe he should limit his races to 400 meters. Actually 440 yards would be better. Americans seem to do better at that distance.

Not that I'm likely to find myself in this situation, but I'd be pretty damn embarrassed to be offered prize money while a Kenyan who beat me was passed over.

Great a 15KKK race!

lmoo wrote:

Not that I'm likely to find myself in this situation, but I'd be pretty damn embarrassed to be offered prize money while a Kenyan who beat me was passed over.

I'd be pretty damn embarrassed to be a sponsor of such a race. The main sponsor, St. Francis Hospital, claims that, in accordance with "Franciscan values," "We provide quality care and services with a high level of compassion our patients have come to expect, with a special concern for the health needs of the poor and disadvantaged." You think they know that they're funding a race that discriminates against foreigners and non-English-speaking people? I would consider letting them know that.

I completely agree this is just stupid and goes against every thing that athletics is about. This race should be boycotted by eveyone. On a side note i think that the United States does have "official languges". As far as i know every state decides its "offcial language" because its required to do official government buisness, decide school curriculms etc. And I could be wrong but i think that every state has English as its official language except New Mexico which has two English and Spanish. But still making language a requirement for races is way out of line.

I agree with you saying that they should boycott. But the question is: will you have more people that will stand together and claim this is discrimation? or Many that will step aside and say that it's not their problem to address(by just letting it be)?

Congrats to the RD for having some balls to do it his way. This is not racism. The RD has the right to put whatever requirements he wants on his prize money. This is a free country and if you want to boycott his race, go ahead.

I'm sure the RD will have far greater support from the local community by preventing foreign athletes to show up, win the cash and bring nothing to the race. Most of these foreign runners have learned to say, "thank you...I am happy to win...I will return next year"...as if that adds anything to the event.

In regards to Pico you obviosly have some sort of bias against forigners taking money and I won't argue that point with you but if you want to have a race where the cash is only for US citizens then leave it with that and don't put in the insulting remark about speaking clear English.

Sorry, Pico, you are wrong.

You may live in a free country but one of the reasons your country can be described as 'free' is that people of all nations and ethnicities can live there without fear of discrimination based purely on their background.

The RD's rules are clearly designed to discriminate against people of an ethnic background. He probably knows he cannot write, 'No black, brown, yellow or red people". If his rule has the effect of discriminating against these same people, however, the rule is discriminating on the grounds of race.

I suggest everybody who is concerned about such an obviously racist rule let Ken know. His e-mail address is

klong@kenlongassoc.com

Hello Mr. Ken,

We run fast for you. 46:50 no problem. English no problem.